Toy watch



Feb. 2, 1954 A. G. EICHHOLZ TOY WATCH Filed Nov. 23 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

AUGUST G. EICHHOLZ BY 1954 A. e. EICHHCDLZ 2,66 ,7

TOY WATCH Filed Nov. 23, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 12 1' v V /20 T 3 u I u 4. 3

FIG. 9. I

INVENTOR. Aucus'r G1 EICHHOLZ Patented Feb. 2, 1954 UNITED STATES FTET OFFICE T OY WATCH August Eichholz, St. Louis, Mo. Application November 23, 1951, Serial No; 257,771

10 Claims. 1

This invention relates in general to certain new and useful improvement in toy watches and, more particularly, to a toy motor for use in toy watches.

The average child usually desires some type of a plaything which imitates or resembles as nearly as possible articles of everyday use possessed by his parents an elders. For example, most children like to own a toy watch and are particularly anxious to have the toy watch move or give off some type of ticking sound which lends a semblance of reality to the plaything. In the case of a toy watch it would be particularly desirable to provide a device which could be wound up by a simulative watch stem very much in the manner of a genuine watch and would tick away for a substantial number of seconds after the stem has been released or the winding completed. Y x I It is, therefore, the primary object of the present invention to provide a motor or mechanical movement which is particularly adapted for incorporation in a childs toy watch and which may be wound up so asto release its energy slowly over a protracted period of time tothe acetic panirnentof ticking" noises or sounds similar in character to those emitted by real watches o'r clocks.-

is ai-io-t ie'r objectof the present invention to provide a toy watch which is capable of being wound up by a stem very much in the manner of real watch will, when the stem is re-' leased, emit soundssiinuia we or a genuine watch or time-piece.

It is a further object of the present inventionto provide toy watch of the type stated which is rugged and durable and will Withstand the type of abuse to which children ordinarily subjcct their'playthiiigs.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a toy watch of the type stated which is 'simpie and economical in construction and can be manufactured at relatively low c'ost'so that it may be sold well withinthe range of modest retail price usually associated with childrens' toys and playthings.

It is, furthermore; an object of thepresent in vention to provide a toy watch having a Wind able tick-emitting mechanical movement which is also capable of impaiti-ng motionto component parts in the production of some visual or visible effect; such as the winking of an eye or the waving of an arm of a figure or character painted en thewatcn dial;

With the above and other objects in view,

my invention resides in the novel features of form, construction,- arrangement, and combination of parts presently described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawingsure l is a top plan view of a toy Watch constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is an exposed perspective view of the toy watch;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Figure l Figure 4 is a top plan view of the mechanical movement or motor forming a part of the present invention;

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 55 of Figure 4;

Figures 6, 7, and 8 are fragmentary sectional views taken, respectively, along lines 6-6, 1-1, and 3--3, of- Figure 5:

Figure 9 is a top plan view of the mechanical movement or motor forming a part of the iiiven-tion showing the elastic band or energy-storin member in wound-up condition;

Figures 10 and ll are fragmentary sectional views taken; respectively, along lines l'll ill and $'-l I of Figure 9;

Figure 12 is a top plan view or" a modified formof toy watch constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention Figure 13 is a transverse sectional View taken along line I 3- l 3 ofFigure 12';

Figure 14 is a top plan View or the mech'ani cal movement or motor forming": a part of the" toy watch illustrated in Figure 12 and Figure 15 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line l5-!5 of Figure 14.

Referring now in more detail and" by reference characters to the drawings, which illustrate practical embodiments of the present invention, A designates a toy watch comprising a preferably rectangular stamped metal top housing or shell I provided along its opposite transverse margin with longitudinally projecting pairs of ears 2 for receiving conventional strap-retaining pins 3 by which wrist straps d, 4", are held in place. The shell {integrally includes longitudi nal side walls 5, 5", the latter being centrally provided with a U-shaped slot 6 extending up wardly from its lower margin. Provided for snug-fitting telescoped disposition within the shell 5 is a bottom shell l having a flat botto'r'n' wall 8 and longitudinally extendin side walls 9; 9', the latter being centrally provided with a U-shaped slot it extending downwardly from its upper margin for registration with the slot 6. The respective lengths of the slots 6, I3, are such that the straight portions thereof will overlap and extend beyond each other and together will define a substantially circular aperture for purposes presently more fully appearing.

Provided for snug-fitting disposition within the bottom shell I is a motor frame II integrally including a longitudinally extending side flange I2, a tubular side rail I3, and a bottom web M, having a centrally located upwardly formed or pressed channel I extending across a substantial portion of its width and being provided at diagonally juxtaposed corners of its transverse edges with inwardly extending notches I If, and upstruck ears I8, I9. The tubular side rail I3 is preferably of rectangular cross-sectional shape and includes spaced parallel walls 25, 2E. Stamped out of the walls 23, 2I, and bent inwardly therefrom is a loop-shaped member 22 folded around and clamped down upon a springleaf flapper 23 formed preferably of synthetic plastic or other similar resilient material. Similarly formed out of the side flange I2 is a loopshaped member 24 folded around a flapper 25, which is substantially similar in shape and con struction to the flapper 23. It will be noted by reference to Figure 2 that the loop-shaped elements 22, 24, are preferably located at diagonally opposite corners of the motor frame II and the flapper elements 23, 25, extend in upwardly spaced parallel relation to the web I4 terminating at their free ends adjacent the transverse center line of the motor frame Ii.

The flange I2 is centrally provided with a U-shaped slot 23 extending downwardly from its upper margin in approximate registration with the slots 6, I3, and the wall 2| of the tubular side rail I3 is centrally provided with a circular aperture in transverse alignment with the slot 26, the slot 26 and the aperture 21 being preferably disposed along the transverse center line of the motor frame I I. Journaled at its opposite ends in and extending through the slot 26 and aperture 21 is a shaft 28 rigidly provided at its one extended end with a crown 29 and being provided at its other end with a sharpened point 30. The shaft 28 being of such length that the crown 29 will be spaced outwardly from the flange I2 by a suificient distance to accommodate the overlapping and nested side walls of the top shell I and bottom shell 1, so that the pointed end 30 thereof will be protectively housed within the tubular side rail I3, all as best seen in Figures 3 and 5.

Rigidly fixed upon the shaft 23 just imardly of the flange I2 is a gear or star wheel 34 meshing against the free end of the flapper and pivotally mounted upon the inner face of the side flange i2 is a locking plate 32 provided at its end with a downwardly presented notch 33, adapted for registration with the slot 23 and arranged for hookwise engagement over and around the shaft 28 between the inner face of the flange I2 and the outer face of the gear or star wheel 3I, so as to hold the shaft 28 in place within the motor frame II against unauthorized removal. It will be noted by reference to Figure 5 that the shaft 23 is, furthermore, of sufficient length that when the locking plate 32 is swung downwardly into the locking position shown in Figure 6, the pointed end 33 will rest bearingwise within a slight depression 34 in the inner face of the side wall 23 and thus the shaft 23 is prevented from any appreciable amount of lateral shifting movement.

Rotatably mounted upon the shaft 28 is a sleeve or quill 35 provided at one end with a star wheel or gear 36 hearing on its outer side face rotatably against the inwardly presented face of the side wall portion 2| and meshing against the free end of the flapper 23. At its other end the quill 35 bears rotatably against the inwardly presented side face of the star wheel or gear 3| and midway of its length the quill 35 is provided with a transverse slot 31, the closed ends of which are reinforced by an enlargement or hump 33, so as to impart strength and rigidity to the quill 35 across its slotted region. Inserted within the slot 3I is an elastic loop or so-called rubber band 39 preferably of rectangular cross-sectional area of sufficient size to fit snugly, but nevertheless somewhat loosely, within the slot 37. The rubber band 39 and quill 35 are assembled upon the shaft 28 by inserting the rubber band 33 edgewise within the slot 37 and then threading the shaft 28 through the quill 35, forcing the pointed end 30 of the shaft 28 to pierce through the rubber band 39. Furthermore, the rubber band 39 is of sufficient length to extend outwardly therefrom in a continuous closed loop which is large enough to fit entirely around the motor frame I I and lie within the notches I5, IT, against the ears I8, I9. With the rubber band 39 in place, as desired, the pointed end 39 of the pin which extends beyond the gear or star wheel 35 is inserted through the aperture 21 and the opposite end of the shaft 28 is dropped down into the slot 23, whereupon the side plate, which has theretofore been swung upwardly and outwardly, may be swung downwardly into the position shown in Figure 6 to retain the structure in assembled relation. It will be noted that the return run of the rubber band 33 will lie within the channel I5 and will thus be more or less free from engagement with the bottom wall 8 of the shell I when the assembled motor frame I! is set down into the bottom shell I and the top shell I fitted thereover to form the completed toy watch, as shown in Figure 3. The completed toy watch A is, furthermore, provided with a series of dummy numbers 40 and watch hands M, which are painted, lithographed, or otherwise imprinted upon the upwardly presented top face of the case I in simulation of a genuine watch.

In use, the child may wind up the watch A, so to speak, by turning the crown 29 with a winding movement. It will be noted that the crown 29 may be turned in either direction without damaging or breaking the mechanism. Because the pin-like point 39 of the shaft 23 has been pushed forcibly through the rubber band 39, there will be sufficient frictional engagement between the rubber band 39 and the shaft 28 so that the winding movement will cause the rubber band 29 to rotate with the shaft 28. This rotative movement carries the quill 35 with the shaft 28 and the rubber band 39 will wind up upon the quill substantially as shown in Figure 9. Since the rubber band 39 extends diagonally across the Web I4 with respect to the longitudinal axis of the shaft 28, it will tend to wind itself up equally on opposite sides of the hump 38. The winding movement of the shaft 28 and quill 35 will cause the star wheels 3 I, 36, to rotate against the free ends of the flappers 23, 25, producing a desirable and definitely audible clicking sound. When the winding movement has been completed, the flapper 25 will hold the star wheel 3| against rotation and consequently the shaft 28 will become stationary.

The tension placed in the rubber band 39, however, will cause slippage within the frictional engagement between the rubber band 39 and the shaft 28, so that the rubber band 39 will slowly begin to unwind and this unwinding movement will cause the quill 38 to rotate at a correspondingly slow rate of speed in the opposite direction to the direction in which it was originally wound so that the gear or star wheel 36 will turn against the free end of the flapper 23 to produce a slow measured ticking sound very closely resembling the normal ticking sound of a genuine watch. As will be readily evident, the rubber band is capable of winding up around the quill 35 for a substantial number of turns and thus will store asufficient amount of energy so that the unwinding and ticking action will last foran appreciable number of seconds and'will, in a manner of speaking, give a sufiiciently prolonged audible effect so that the child will have a feeling that the toy watch A is ticking just like a genuine watch.

It should also be noted in this connection that the toy Watch A is substantially foolproof in its operation, inasmuch as it cannot be over-wound to such a degree as would tend to break the'rubher band 3%. Whenever the child has wound up the watch as tightly as the elastic limits of the rubber band 39 will permit and the rubber band 39 tends to approach its breaking point, the amount of force required to continue turning of the stem 23 will be greater than the amount of frictional force between the rubber band 33 and the shaft 2%, so that the shaft 2% will slip with respect to the rubber band 39 and no further winding action will be transmitted to the quill 35 to impose additional stretch on the rubber band 39. Finally, if, after long usage, the rubber band wears out and does break it is relatively easy for the childs parents or an older sister or brother to take the toy watch A apart and replace the rubber band in substantially the same manner as it was originally installed.

If desired, it is possible to provide a modified form of toy watch B, which is substantially similar in all respects to the previously described toy watch A, and includes a motor frame H which is provided with a loop-shaped element 22 and flapper 23 located adjacent the side flange H2. The quill 35 is substantially similar to the quill 35 except that it is somewhat shorter and is provided with a gear or star wheel 36 located adjacent to the gear or star Wheel 3|. At its opposite end, the quill 35 is provided with a drum t2 imprinted upon its outer peripheral face with a series of eye-simulating dots 43 for registration with and movement past a window-like aperture it formed in thewatch face 45, which is, in turn, im rinted with a series of numbers 46 and watchhands 41. In addition, the watch face 4-5 is imprinted with a nursery-rhyme figure, such as the figure of Humpty-Dumpty, shown at 43. This figure will, of course, be so arranged and imprinted that the aperture or window 44 will appear as one of the eyes. Thus, when the quill 35 nnwinds, the drum 42 will rotate and the eyesiinulating dot d3 will move past the window M t give the appearance or suggestion that the Humpty-Duinpty figure is winking its eye; This modified form of quill 35 with the gear 3i and drum 33 at its opposite ends has the further advantage of confining the rubber band and acting end guides therefor.

It should also be understood in this connection that the above described mechanism is not necessarily limited to toy watches, but may be applied to various other types of toys requiring similar motivation.

it should be understood that changes and modifications in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the toy watch may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A toy watch comprising a hollow casing, a shaft operatively mounted in th casing, means mounted externally of the casing and operatively associated with the shaft-by which the shaft may be manually turned, an elastic element secured on opposite sides of the shaft so that at least for a portion of its length the elastic element on tends across the shaft, said shaft extending bodily through the elastic element in the region thereof where said portion of the elastic element crosses the shaft, whereby the elastic element will grip the shaft annularly due to normal contraction for frictional engagement therewith so that when the shaft is manually rotated the elastic element will in effect attach itself to the shaft for rotation therewith and thereby coil itself up around the shaft into a plurality of stretched substantially circular turns, means Within the casing for holding the shaft stationary when manual rotation is discontinued, the frictional engagement between the elastic element and the shaft being of such natur that when the shaft is held stationary after the elastic element is wound into a series of stretched con volutions the elastic element will operatively slip with respect to the shaft and unwind itself, and means within the casing actuable, responsive to the unwinding slippage of the elastic element for producing mechanical movement.

2. A toy watch comprising a hollow casing, a shaft operatively mounted in the casing, means mounted externally of the casing and operatively associated with the shaft by which the shaft may be manually turned, a rubber band secured on. opposite sides of the shaft so that at least for a portion of its length the elastic element extends across the shaft, said shaft extending bodily through the elastic element in the region thereof where said portion of the elastic element crosses the shaft, whereby the elastic element will grip the shaft annularly due to normal contraction for frictional engagement therewith so that when the shaft is manually rotated the rubber band will in effect attach itself to the shaft for rotation therewith and thereby coil itself up around the shaft into a plurality of stretched substantially circular turns, means within the casing for holding the shaft stationary when manual rotation is discontinued, the frictional. engagement between the rubber ban-siand the shaft being of such nature that when the shaft is held. statione'y after the rubber band is wound into series of stretched ccnvolutions the rubber band will operatively slip with respect to the shaft and unwind itself, and means within the casing actuable responsive to the unwinding slippage of the rubber band for producing mechanical movement.

3. A toy watch comprising a hollow casing, a shaft journaled in and extending across the casing with one of its ends projecting outwardly from the casing, a :handle-forming knob mounted rigidly on the projecting end of the shaft, a quill rotatably mounted on the shaft, an elastic element secured within the casing and frictionally engaged with the shaft so that when the shaft is manually rotated the elastic element will rotate with the shaft and wind itself up around the quill, means within the casing for holding the shaft stationary when manual rotation is discontinued, the frictional engagement between the elastic element and the shaft being of such nature that when the shaft is held stationary after the elastic element is wound up around the quill the elastic element will operatively slip with respect to the shaft and unwind itself, and means within the casing actuable responsive to the unwinding slippage of the elastic element for producing mechanical movement.

4. A toy watch comprising a hollow casing, a shaft journaled in and extending across the casing with one of its ends projecting outwardly from the casing, a handle-forming knob mounted rigidly on the projecting end of the shaft, a

quill rotatably mounted on the shaft, an elastic element secured within the casing and frictionally engaged with the shaft so that when the shaft is manually rotated the elastic element will rotate with the shaft and wind itself up around the quill, a toothed wheel rigidly mounted on the shaft, a flexible spring-like blade rigidly mounted on one end within the casing and having its free end engaged with the tooth wheel for holding the shaft stationary when manually applied rotative effort ceases, the frictional engagement between the shaft and the elastic element being such that when the shaft is held stationary the elastic element will slip with respect to the shaft and unwind itself and by such unwinding action produce rotative movement in the quill, and a tooth member rigidly mounted on the quill, a blade-like noise emitting flapper mounted at one end in the casing and engaged at its free end in the tooth member for producing a ticking sound as the quill is rotated.

5. A toy watch comprising a hollow casing, a shaft journaled in and extending across the casing with one of its ends projecting outwardly from the casing, a handle-forming knob mounted rigidly on the projecting end of the shaft, a

quill rotatably mounted on the shaft, an elastic element secured within the casing and frictionally engaged with the shaft so that when the shaft is manually rotated the elastic element will rotate with the shaft and wind itself up around the quill, a first gear rigidly mounted on the shaft, a flexible spring-like blade rigidly mounted on one end within the casing and having its free end engaged with the first gear for holding the shaft stationary when manually applied rotative effort ceases, the frictional engagement between the shaft and the elastic element being such that when the shaft is held stationary the elastic element will slip with respect to the shaft and unwind itself and by such unwinding action produce rotative movement in the quill, and a second gear rigidly mounted on the quill, a blade-like noise emitting flapper mounted at one end in the casing and engaged at its free end in the second gear for producing a ticking sound as the quill is rotated.

6. A toy watch comprising a hollow casing having a flat top wall provided with an aperture, a shaft journaled in and extending across the casing with one of its ends projecting outwardly from the casing, a handle-forming knob mounted rigidly on the projecting end of the shaft, a quill rotatably mounted on the shaft, an elastic element secured within the casing and frictionally engaged, with the shaft so that when the shaft is manually rotated the elastic element will rotate with the shaft and wind itself up around the quill, a first gear rigidly mounted on the shaft, a flexible spring-like blade rigidly mounted on one end within the casing and having its free end engaged with the first gear for holding the shaft stationary when manually applied rotative effort ceases, the frictional engagement between the shaft and the elastic element being such that when the shaft is held stationary the elastic element will slip with respect to the shaft and unwind itself and by such unwinding action produce rotative movement in the quill, a second gear mounted on one end of the quill, a blade-like noise emitting flapper mounted at one end in the casing and engaged at its free end in the second gear for producing a ticking sound as the quill is rotated, and a drum-like element mounted on the other end of the quill with its peripheral surface located beneath and visible through the aperture in the top wall of the casing so that any indicia imprinted upon the peripheral surface of the drum will be visible through the aperture.

'7. For use with moving mechanical toys, a motor comprising a frame having spaced parallel flanges, a shaft operatively mounted in the frame, means mounted externally of the frame and operatively associated with the shaft by which the shaft may be manually turned, an elastic element secured on opposite sides of the shaft so that at least for a portion of its length the elastic element extends across the shaft, said shaft extending bodily through the elastic element in the region thereof where said portion of the elastic element crosses the shaft, whereby the elastic element will grip the shaft annularly due to normal contraction for frictional engagement therewith so that when the shaft is manually rotated the elastic element will in effect attach itself to the shaft for rotation therewith and thereby coil itself up around the shaft into a plurality of stretched substantially circular turns, means within the frame for holding the shaft stationary when manual rotation is dis continued, the frictional engagement between the elastic element and the shaft being of such nature that when the shaft is held stationary after the elastic element is wound into a series of stretched convolutions the elastic element will operatively slip with respect to the shaft and unwind itself, and means within the frame actuable responsive to the unwinding slippage of the elastic element for producing mechanical movement.

8. For use with mechanical toys, a motor comprising a frame, a shaft operatively mounted in the frame, means mounted externally of the frame and operatively associated with the shaft by which the shaft may be manually turned, an elastic element secured on opposite sides of the shaft so that at least for a portion of its length the elastic element extends across the shaft, said shaft extending bodily through the elastic element in the region thereof where said portion of the elastic element crosses the shaft, whereby the elastic element will grip the shaft annularly due to normal contraction for frictional engagement therewith so that when the shaft is manually rotated the elastic element will in effect attach itself to the shaft for rotation therewith and thereby coil itself up around the shaft into a plurality of stretched substantially circular turns, means within the frame for holding the shaft stationary when manual rotation is discontinued, for frictional engagement between 9 the elastic element and the shaft being of such nature that when the shaft is held stationary after the elastic element is wound into a series of stretched convolutions the elastic element will operatively slip with respect to the shaft and unwind itself, and motion-producing means actuable responsive to the unwinding movement or the elastic element.

9. A top watch comprising a hollow casing, a shaft journaled in and extending across the easing with one of its ends projecting outwardly from the casing, a handle-forming knob mounted rigidly on the projecting end of the shaft, a sleeve rotatably mounted on the shaft and being provided intermediate its ends with a peripheral slot, an elastic element mounted in the casing and engaged within the slot, said elastic element being frictionally engaged with the shaft so that when the shaft is manually rotated the elastic element will rotate with the shaft and wind itself up around the sleeve, a first gear rigidly mounted on the shaft, a flexible spring-like blade rigidly mounted on one end within the casing and having its free end engaged with the first gear for holding the shaft stationary when manually applied rotative effort ceases, the frictional engagement between the shaft and the elastic element being such that when the shaft is held stationary the elastic element will slip with respect to the shaft and unwind itself and by such unwinding action produce rotative movement in the sleeve, a second gear rigidly mounted on the sleeve, and a blade-like noise emitting flapper mounted at one end in the casing and engaged at its free end in the second gear for producing a ticking sound as the sleeve is rotated.

10. A toy watch comprising a hollow casing, a shaft journaled in and extending across the it) casing with one of its ends projecting outwardly from the casing, a handle-forming knob mounted rigidly on the projecting end of the shaft, a sleeve rotatably mounted on the shaft and being provided intermediate its ends with a peripheral slot, a rubber band mounted in the easing and engaged within the slot, said rubber band being frictionally engaged with the shaft so that when the shaft is manually rotated the rubber band will rotate with the shaft and wind itself up around the sleeve, a first gear rigidly mounted on the shaft, a flexible springlike blade rigidly mounted on one end within the casing and having its free end engaged with the first gear for holding the shaft stationary when manually applied rotative effort ceases, the frictional engagement between the shaft and the rubber band being such that when the shaft is held stationary the rubber band will slip with respect to the shaft and unwind itself and by such unwinding action produce rotative movement in the sleeve, a second gear rigidly mounted on the sleeve, and a blade-like noise emitting flapper mounted at one end in the casing and engaged at its free end in the second gear for producing a ticking sound as the sleeve is rotated.

AUGUST G. EICHHOLZ.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,203,438 Webster Oct. 31, 1916 1,277,791 Vaughan Sept. 3, 1918 1,609,211 Sladek Nov. 30, 1926 1,962,870 Herbst June 12, 1934 

